Category: Letters to the Irish Times

Sir, – Des Cryan (Opinion, December 27th), while addressing the portrayal of the Christmas story, raises questions that are relevant in today’s world.

The story of the stable has helped us in Trust at times to point out that people in our capital city today sleep in sheds, tents, containers and under bushes – none with the warmth even of a stable or the breath of animals.

While this is happening, experts and bureaucrats struggle to find an appropriate definition to facilitate debate and more importantly distribution of grant aid – eg what constitutes a home or even shelter.

A detailed analysis like that presented by Des Cryan is unlikely to take place in the corridors of power at local or national level, these corridors likely now to be in Berlin and presided over by the Troika. Bob Dylan was so right when he said “I can’t understand the values of definition and confinement – definitions destroy.” – Yours, etc,

ALICE LEAHY,

Director Co-Founder,

Trust,

Bride Road, Dublin 8.

Sir, – “I think it is very unfair. I am 92 years of age, I know very well what I am talking about. I have my senses the same as I had 50, 40 years ago. I’m not leaving there without a fight” – words of Bridget O’Neill describing proposed closure of Abbeyleix community nursing unit (Home News, November 11th). Sad and brave words on the morning we prepared to celebrate the inauguration of our new President.

The report by Eoghan MacConnell and accompanying photograph made for sad reading, which has now become an almost everyday event in relation to the HSE. How easy it would be to run our health service if our hospitals had just beds and no people to occupy them, particularly ill and vulnerable people of all ages.

Later that day President Higgins quoted James Connolly “Ireland without its people means nothing”, a quote those in positions of power and responsibility should reflect on.

It’s time the “experts”, including those in positions of power and responsibility, spent time visiting these units and other centres meeting the most vulnerable of our citizens, young and old to hear first hand how they feel rather, than visiting countries abroad. A week spent in each unit, meeting staff and residents, would add greatly to their expertise in planning services. This at a time when the elderly people who built this State find themselves seen as a problem rather than an asset at a time when wisdom and common sense are in short supply.

Working in the area of health care for 40 years, I am daily mindful of the quote from Andrew Lang: “An unsophisticated forecaster uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts – for support rather than for illumination.” – Yours, etc,

ALICE LEAHY, Director Co-Founder, Trust, Bride Road, Dublin 8.

Sir, – Fr Peter McVerry (September 6th) is right about emergency homeless services. Trust has been working with people sleeping rough since 1975 and can verify that the situation is much worse now than it has ever been.

It is worth remembering that all of those working in the field of homelessness – administrators and politicians – agreed with the findings produced ad nauseam by researchers. This came at enormous expense to the taxpayer over the lifetime of the Homeless Initiative/Homeless Agency: it was claimed there was no need for emergency services and that homelessness would end by 2010.

The findings were never challenged where they should have been. Those not agreeing with the findings who attempted to highlight the need for emergency services for homeless people found themselves isolated and seen as not being progressive; and they were regularly accused of “maintaining people in their homeless state”.

The chickens have now come home to roost. – Yours, etc,

ALICE LEAHY,

Director Co-Founder,

Trust, Bride Road, Dublin 8.

Sir, – Your Editorial (“A public inconvenience”, August 15th) raised some serious points about the lack of public facilities in Dublin. However, it might interest your readers to know that over the last couple of years the elected councillors have at least twice voted in favour of providing such facilities. Once in conjunction with the Dublin Bikes Scheme and the second as a variation of the excellent idea submitted by Alice Leahy and Trust. It would perhaps do everyone a favour if The Irish Times occasionally departed from sanctimonious editorials and put more effort into why decisions democratically adopted are not implemented. – Yours, etc,

Cllr DERMOT LACEY,

Beech Hill Drive,

Donnybrook, Dublin 4.